The present invention relates generally to burial caskets, and more particularly, to a body support for a casket to support a corpse in a recumbent position.
Conventional burial caskets include adjustable spring frames placed on the bottom of the casket for supporting the corpse as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,821,108. Such spring frames are adjustable to elevate and incline the corpse for viewing and thereafter to lower the corpse to a flat position for internment. Such body support mechanisms are complex, add substantial additional weight to the casket, and in view of their short-lived usefulness, unnecessarily increase the cost of the casket.
Other types of body supports have been developed including those used temporarily in transporting a corpse as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,123,831 which describes a disposable transportation casket constructed from blanks of fiberboard. However, the casket disclosed in this patent is not designed for and hence us unsuited for use as a conventional burial casket.
It is the object of this invention, therefore, to provide an improved body support for use in a burial casket.
It is another object of this invention to provide a body support formed from blanks of sheet material to support a corpse in an inclined position.
It is another object of this invention to provide a body support capable of supporting a variety of body weights and sizes at the proper vertical location in a casket.
It is another object of this invention to provide a body support operable to restrain sideways movement of a corpse in a casket.